The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-02
The Soldiers, Monument.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal.
Your Warsaw correspondent favors State
soldiers home, rather than a monument and
thinks that it is shame that Indiana should be
behind Illinois and Michigan in her care Of the
living soldiers. / know nothing about the H.
linois home but that of Michigan is already
under the gravest charges, and the Legislature
has ordered an investigation. We all know how
it was very recently with our Sol
diers' Orphans Home at Knightstown, and it
was much worse, only last summer in
the Pennsylvania home. Every old soldier, and
every soldiers orphan, ought to be well taken
care of but this should be done by the Nation,
not the State. They national. not State
soldiers. The national soldiers homes under
the care OF army officers and army discipline.
This insures a condition of high efficiency,
nomical management, and freedom from abuses.
The soldiers orphans homes should be under the
would have adequate financial support free from
the uncertainty which seems to attend
all State institutions. 1t would be
good place to put part OF the great surplus
now incumbering the national treasury. Let a
national roof cover the veterans and their chill
dren, as the national flag did the former during
the war;
With the monument it is different Its main
purpose is to teach lesson of loyalty, patriot
| ism and self-sacritce, and this it
| only do by being placed where it can be
seen. Manifestly, therefore. each loyal
State should build monument and 10
| cate 1t at the commercial and political center
where the citizens of that State most do congre-
| gate. In Indiana that place is Indianapolis, the
great railroad center, where so many of our peo
| Pile go each year. And | wonld have that mon
| ument SO located there that no visitor could
| reach or leave the city without beholding this
| EN- blem of the States glory, and so beautiful
that it would attract visitors from all over the
continent
| ,
| monument and will do 1t. Should the State re-
fuse its aid, the structure will, of course, be in
| proportion to the sum of money in the hands of
the monumental committee. and could not
be very imposing po.es In that case it
Indiana. The stranger would point to it in de-
| rision, and for the first time the old soldier
would blush for his State. But, if the General
| Assembly should appropriate the sum asked for,
| and an efficient commission should be selected
/ to supervise the work, there would soon arise on
| the Governors Circle the finest soldiers memo
| rial in the Nation, one that would inspire every
young man in the State to NOBLE endeavors and
/ heroic deeds, should an emergency ever occur,
| and in which every Indianian would have just
pride. Which shall it be? L.
GREENcAsTLE. JAM 81.
| To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
| The action of the Major Robert Anderson
Post, in this city, last night in adopting reso-
| luton favoring memorial building instead of a
monumental shaft to commemorate the achieve
ments of the Union soldier in the war of the
| Rebellion, is the sober second thought that will
doubtless come to not only the soldiers, but the
| whole people of Indiana. If anything seemed
60 indicate the propriety and sense of such
| building in preference to cold marble column
| it would be the action of the Senate, yesterday
in passing the bill to reserve a niche in the Cap
itol for statue or bust of General Hackle
man. Monuments are moro appropriate t.
mark the resting place of the dead
Memorial halls are places to which
State may point. as holding the forms, on can
vas and in s'chiseed bust" of her jewels. Her,
the society, or post" may place the trophy 0
| prowess in some heroic act, of some favorit
brave of Indiana. Here paintings of bat
ties, that always inspire the youth, especially
his sire fell or fought there, may be placed, au
here all that is he'd by the State of regiments
batteries and companies, may receive tina
J proper care and be preserved. An hour in sue
place is worth more as an incentive Ito patriot
: ism than all the monuments of earth could be
Washington has monument, but what does
teacha Yet 60 to the Patent Department il
| Washington and look upon his sword, commits
sion, ETC., and what an inspiration do they give
The tomb of Grant suggests that he was grea
| general and President, but look upon his trophie
in peace and war, and they quicken the feeling
| to thoughts of the cause in which they played
q part
Every soldier from Indiana, who died or wa
, killed in the war, was just one more jewel in tn
crown Of her fame. In way can she we
present to the world-"her jewels"-as to DEF
+ icate to their valor, bravery and patriotism,
memorial hall that shall. FROM corner stone
: dome, illustrate their deeds SOLDIER.
The Catholic Church and Divorce.